A cape for haircutting adapted to be worn by a person receiving a haircut or like hair services comprising a first sheet of fabric having a neck opening which is formed from a continuous piece of material with a centrally located neck opening. Along the edge of the neck opening a means for securing a first end to a second end to form a neck opening is provided. Means for shielding having a free end is also provided.
The means for shielding extends from the inner surface of the first sheet of fabric along a third portion of the neck opening proximate to one end of the edge over the means for fastening with the free end disposed proximate to the outside surface of the cape to prevent loose cut hair from becoming lodged in the means for securing.
Fastening means for the neck opening comprise interlocking surfaces fitted to coincide with the upper edge of the neck opening. The principle disadvantage of the prior art capes is that loose hair can be caught in the fastening means thereby rendering it hygienically and aesthetically unclean particularly to the wearer of the cape. If sufficient loose hair is lodged in the fastening means, the fastening means will operate less efficiently.
An alternative embodiment of the instant invention provides a cape for hair cutting adapted to be worn by a person receiving a hair cut or the like comprising at least one ornament and means for resiliently attaching the at least one ornament to the outer surface of the cape. The means for resiliently attaching is adapted to allow the ornament to move between a first position and a second position relative to the cape, whereby, the ornament is accessible to a person wearing the cape while receiving a hair cut.
Background technology is available in the form of a cape in accord with U.S. Pat. No. Des. 308,437 issued to Baldwin et.al. in 1990 which reveals a reversible cape for shampooing, haircutting, or the like which also utilizes a fastening means which may be disposed to catching loose hair, particularly at the edge of the neck opening.
See also U.S. Pat. No. 1,216,088 issued to De Vingo in 1917 which utilizes snap fastener. While snap fastening will likely collect less loose hair than hook and loop material fasteners, the means for shielding taught by the instant invention may still be used in connection with these snap fasteners to alleviate this inherent disadvantage.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,979,879 issued to Harris in 1934 reveals a combined apron and toilet case. Said apron has a neck opening with a bib or collar that is disposed on the outside of the apron so that it can be folded over the edge of the neck opening and tucked under the garment in between the garment (i.e. the dress of the wearer) and the body of the wearer. This bib or collar serves to encase the neck opening of the dress to protect it from liquid solutions that are used in salons.
See also U.S. Pat. No. Des. 300,281 for a combination bid with a pacifier holder; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 242,503 for a combined bib and pacifier; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 65,544 for a child's apron; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 318,122 for a pacifier holder. These patents all teach the ability to hang objects from the front of a bid or cloak-like apron.
Some of the drawbacks to these designs are that they do not prevent loose cut hair from becoming lodged in the means for securing. Moreover, some of the drawbacks to the pacifier apron designs are that they do not allow for the enhanced movement of playful ornaments away from and returning to the wearer of the apron, specifically a child having a haircut. Children and haircuts are often a disaster in terms of occupying the child's mind while the cutting takes place. Children are known to fidget in the barber's chair causing delays and creating safety concerns for the hair cutter and the on looking parent.
To alleviate these problems, and others which will become apparent from the disclosure which follows, the present invention conveniently prevents loose cut hair from becoming lodged in the means for securing, particularly hook and loop fasteners and it gives children a responsive toy to play with during the hair cutting ordeal.
The citation of the foregoing publications is not an admission that any particular publication constitutes prior art, or that any publication alone or in conjunction with others, renders unpatentable any pending claim of the present application. None of the cited publications is believed to detract from the patentability of the claimed invention.